Gus Romano is a contemporary portrait artist whose work explores the emotional architecture of the human face. Working primarily in oil on linen, Romano paints with a physical, expressive language where gesture, imperfection and intensity reveal the inner world of his subjects. His portraits are not representations — they are psychological encounters.
Born in Portugal and working internationally, Romano has developed a unique visual signature marked by dynamic diagonal brushwork, a distinct lilac–ochre–green palette, and atmospheres that blur the boundary between the sitter and their emotional state. His paintings feel suspended between classical portraiture and modern tension, echoing influences from Van Gogh, Sargent, Freud and contemporary editorial photography.
In 2025, Romano was featured in Vogue Portugal’s Bold Issue, with a series of seven portraits presented in the context of fashion and identity — a collaboration that positioned the artist within the global conversation between art and the editorial world. His work has also been shown in institutions such as the Museu Nacional do Azulejo (Lisbon) and in international galleries including Superchief Gallery New York, known for spotlighting innovative visual voices.
Driven by a deep fascination with human presence, Romano’s work often reflects themes of exhaustion, resilience, identity, and emotional truth. Each portrait is painted alla prima, in one continuous breath, allowing intuition to lead the gesture and the painting to remain alive, raw and honest.
For Romano, painting is a way of preserving what is human in an age increasingly shaped by technology. His ongoing research explores how portraiture can remain a place of intimacy, fragility and meaning — a space where the viewer confronts both the subject and themselves.
Gus Romano lives and works in Lisbon, with an expanding practice that connects Portuguese identity to a global artistic landscape.
Discovering the Essence of Portraiture
This is my Journal where I will share my achievements and all my difficulties as an artist! I hope I can inspire you to create and never give up on your dreams
Join My Journey
Gus Romano’s creative lineage bridges classical mastery and contemporary experimentation. He draws foundational inspiration from figures such as Van Gogh, Claude Monet, Michelangelo, and Leonardo da Vinci, whose emotional intensity, structural intelligence and devotion to the human figure have shaped his understanding of portraiture.
In parallel, Romano engages deeply with a generation of modern and contemporary artists whose work challenges traditional norms and expands the expressive potential of figurative painting. Among these influences are Will Y, Kildren, Ten Hundred, Masri, Kasiq Jungwoo, Laura H., and Tania Rivilis, whose gestural immediacy and psychological tension resonate strongly with Romano’s own search for emotional truth through paint.
This combination of classical awareness and contemporary dialogue forms the foundation of his practice, resulting in a visual language that is both rooted in history and unmistakably current.
Influences and Inspirations
Beyond painting, Romano writes Letters — personal reflections published on his website as an extension of his artistic practice. These texts explore themes such as exhaustion, ambition, identity, legacy and the emotional cost of creation. Together with his paintings, they form a dual archive of image and thought, offering a deeper understanding of the artist’s world. Romano views art as a shared journey: an ongoing conversation between himself, his subjects and the viewer. Through his portraits and his writing, he seeks to preserve what is human in an increasingly accelerated and technological age.
Letters, Process and the Search for Meaning
Gus Romano works primarily in oil on linen, embracing the expressive depth, imperfection and emotional resonance that the medium allows. His portraits reveal the psychological interior of his subjects through dynamic brushwork, layered colour and a contemporary interpretation of the alla prima tradition. Rather than seeking realism, Romano pursues truth — a raw, instinctive honesty that emerges from gesture, texture and the physicality of paint. Each work becomes an encounter between artist and subject, a moment suspended in time where human presence is intensely felt.After years of exploration and learning, I fell in love with the expressive power and richness of oil paints. I believe in the importance and value of oil paintings as timeless artworks that evoke emotions and capture the essence of the subject. Through my alla prima technique, I strive to create vibrant and engaging portraits that convey the unique stories and personalities of each individual.
Oil Painting and the Human Presence
